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Plants for Coastal Gardens

The South Australian Branch have produced this Fact Sheet containing many plants for coastal gardens which gardeners throughout the mediterranean climate regions will find highly useful.

For additional information about coastal planting see Helene Pizzi's article The Mediterranean Miracle Continues: Planting Coastal Gardens in the Sand, The Mediterranean Garden No. 41, July 2005, where she describes how the dunes close to Rome have been successfully planted.

Depending on how close you are to the sea and how exposed your garden is, there are several problems you will need to deal with; the worst being high salt levels both in the soil and carried by wind and water sprays, physical damage from strong winds and fine sandy soil drying out and becoming non-wettable.

A barrier that prevents or slows down the prevailing wind is therefore paramount in a coastal garden. If you have the space, growing a mixture of hardy salt and wind tolerant trees and shrubs (especially those native to the area) as frontline protection is the best long-term windbreak. Adding organic materials to the soil, using surface mulches and slow release fertilisers as well as drip irrigation, plastic or shade cloth tree guards and wetting agents if necessary will all help plants establish and grow. And many plants once established can withstand quite severe conditions.

The plant lists below are a small selection of attractive and hardy low water use plants suitable for most South Australian coastal conditions. Eventual size and growth rate can vary enormously so check plants growing in your area or seek professional advice

Those marked with an asterisk* are especially useful for front line planting.

Trees and Palms - Many of the large shrubs can also be trained as small trees.

Name Scientific/Common	Country/Area of Origin	Description Flowering/ Foliage/ Seed	Special Requirements and Comments
Allocasuarina verticillata* (syn. Casuarina stricta) Drooping She-oak	NSW, Vic, Tas, SA	Female plants produce attractive cones and male plants are covered with golden pollen in winter/spring.	Wind blowing through the pendulous branchlets sounds wonderful. Can be clipped. A. littoralis* is also good.
Araucaria heterophylla* Norfolk Island Pine	Norfolk Island	Beautiful symmetrical crown.	Too large for suburban gardens.
Arbutus unedo Irish Strawberry Tree	Ireland Mediterr.	Lovely reddish bark, dense glossy green leaves & white urn-shaped flowers followed by red warty fruits.	May be slow growing & require extra water to establish.
Banksia integrifolia* Coastal Banksia	Qld, NSW, Vic	15cm long pale yellow flower cones during autumn to spring.	Silver undersides to the leaves attractively displayed in breezes.
Callitris glaucophylla* (syn.C. columellaris) Coastal Cypress Pine	Qld, NSW, Vic, Tas, SA	Columnar conifers.	Can be clipped & pruned. C. rhomboidea*, Pt Jackson Pine, also well worth trying.
Ceratonia siliqua Carob	Mediterr.	Dense spreading tree leafy to ground level.	Useful as a tall hedge plant Native to stony regions.
Eucalyptus lehmannii* & E. megacornuta* Bushy Yate & Warty Yate respectively	WA	Large ball-like clusters of green/yellow flowers. Finger-like bud caps.	Can be multi-branched from ground level. E. forrestiana, Fuchsia Mallee, also a good tree with a dense crown.
Eucalyptus platypus var. heterophylla* Coastal Moort	WA	Smooth pink/brown bark. Buds grouped on flattened stalk open to creamy flowers in spring & summer.	Bushy to the ground. Exceptionally tolerant to drought, harsh winds & salt laden soil.
Feijoa sellowiana Pineapple Guava	Sth America	White-petalled flowers with red stamens appear in spring.	Green egg-shaped fruit is edible. Requires protection when young.
Lagunaria patersonii* Norfolk Island Hibiscus	NSW, Qld, Norfolk Is.	Pale pink hibiscus-like flowers on a grey-leaved pyramidal tree.	Seed pods shed stiff irritant hairs that cause skin irritation.
Leptospermum laevigatum* Coastal tea-tree	Eastern Australia	Open-petalled white flowers in spring/early summer.	Can be hedged. Develops a lovely twisted trunk on windy sites.
Meterosideros excelsa* NZ Christmas Tree	New Zealand	Showy display of crimson flowers in early summer.	The many cultivars available are not as hardy.
Olea europaea* Olive	Mediterr.	Well known grey-leaved tree.	Sterile forms should be planted to prevent self-seeding.
Phoenix canariensis Canary Island Date Palm	Canary Islands	Imposing large palm with clusters of orange 'dates' in autumn.	Can self-seed prolifically. Dead fronds persist for years.
Quercus ilex Holm Oak	Mediterr.	Slow-growing evergreen spreading large tree. Young foliage holly-like.	Water to establish. Tolerant of heat, wind, frost, salt & alkalinity.
Schinus molle var. areira Peppercorn Tree	Mexico to Argentina	Clusters of small pink berries and pendulous ferny bright-green foliage.	Can be too vigorous for small gardens.
Tamarix parviflora * & T.tetrandra Tamarisk	Mediterr.	Deciduous. Feathery pink flowers abound in spring or summer.	T. ramosissima (syn. T. pentrandra) & T. aphylla are declared pest plants.
Ulmus parvifolia Chinese elm	China, Japan, Korea	Can be partly deciduous.	Growth habit can be variable -trim if any branches become lanky.

Large / Medium Shrubs - The shrubs underlined can tolerate partial shade.

Acacia sophorae* (syn. A. longifolia var. sophorae) Coastal Golden Wattle	Eastern Australia	Golden rods of flowers in spring. Dense to the ground.	Valuable soil-binding windbreak. Acacia cyclops*, Western Coastal Wattle, also an excellent tree/shrub.
Allocasuarina pusilla Dwarf She-oak	SA, Vic	Fine grey/green needles with rusty-brown male flowers.	A bushy shrub that makes it a useful screening or hedging plant.
Atriplex nummularia* Old Man Saltbush	Inland Australia	Large round dense silvery-grey foliage.	A good hedge plant. A. cinerea* & A. paludosa* useful small saltbushes.
Banksia media* & B. spinulosa (syn. B. collina) Hairpin Banksia	WA NSW	Cylindrical yellow flower cones in autumn & winter. Stiff-textured decorative leaves.	Resent phosphate fertilisers. Can be grown in well-drained mulched sandy soils over limestone. B. marginata* & B. praemorsa* also worth a try.
Cistus - many species & cultivars Rock Rose	Mediterr.	Cover themselves with white/ rose pink often blotched crepe-like single flowers in spring & summer.	Quick growing with fibrous shallow roots. Trim after flowering to keep compact.
Coprosma species & cultivars* Mirror Plant	New Zealand	Neat round shiny green leaves.	Dense & fast-growing shrubs that can self-seed readily. Can be clipped.
Eriocephalus africanus White Woolly-head	Sth. Africa	Covered with cotton-like woolly seed clusters after small white daisies.	A dense shrub of fragrant grey rosemary-like foliage.
Euonymous japonica Evergreen Spindle Tree	Japan	Deep green glossy leaves.	Requires air moving freely around it. Clips well into a hedge.
Melaleuca nesophila* Showy Honey Myrtle	WA	Terminal mauve flower balls tipped with gold in summer. White paper bark trunk & branches.	Smaller form called 'Little Nessy' also available.
Nerium oleander Oleander	Mediterr.	Uninterrupted show of white, pink, or red flowers spring to early winter.	Damaged by cold salt winds but recovers. Decorative in large tubs.
Pittosporum tobira* & P. crassifolium	Japan & China	Dense green slow-growing foliage plants.	Dwarf forms available but not hardy.
Plumbago auriculata Cape Plumbago	South Africa	Clusters of sky-blue or white flowers through spring & summer to autumn. Var. 'Royal Cape' has beautiful deep blue flowers.	Lovely exuberant lax shrub that responds well to hard pruning.
Punica granatum Pomegranate	Middle East	Glowing red flowers & pendulous fruits complement the shiny green deciduous foliage.	There are also dwarf varieties & different coloured flower forms (single & double) available.
Rosa rugosa Rugosa Rose	Asia	Single pink flowers followed by edible red hips. 'Alba' is single white.	Will grow in sandy soil and tolerates salty air.
Teucrium fruticans Germander	Mediterr.	Woolly white angular stems with grey foliage & pale blue flowers.	Responds well to clipping into a ball shape.
Rosmarinus officinalis* Rosemary	Mediterr.	Pale blue /dark blue flowers in spring & autumn depending on variety.	Makes a delightfully fragrant hedge cultivar. 'Prostratus' a groundcover.
Westringia fruticosa* Coastal Rosemary	Eastern Australia	White - mauve flowers nearly all year. Rosemary-like foliage but softer.	Numerous cultivars available - all are excellent value.

Low Shrubs, Perennials, Climbers and Groundcovers

Achillea millefolium & hybrids Yarrow	Europe	Ferny aromatic foliage & flat heads of clustered flowers in many colours.	Useful filler plants. 'Paprika' & 'Terracotta' are 2 lovely new hybrids.
Aptenia cordifolia	Sth. Africa	Glossy-green leafed succulent with spreading habit, red or white flowers.	Excellent large-scale groundcover for hottest locations. Easy to propagate.
Arctotus species & hybrids* African daisy	South Africa	White furry lobed foliage with bursts of long-stemmed daisy flowers.	Revel in full sun. A. stoechardifolia can escape & become a pest.
Artemisia 'Powis Castle'	Cultivar	Silvery, feathery mound of foliage.	Aromatic. Requires full sun.
Bougainvillea hybrids Bougainvillea	Brazil	Intense colourful bracts on climbers/shrubs during warmer months.	The old purple form is probably the most hardy.
Centranthus ruber Valerian, Kiss-me-quick	Mediterr. SW Africa	Pale pink to deep red terminal cones of glowing flowers spring to autumn. Rambling perennial. Also white form.	Hard pruning controls its spread Prevent self-seeding by removing all spent flowers.
Convolvulus cneorum Silver Morning Glory	Mediterr.	Compact silky oval silver foliage. White open-cupped flowers.	A striking accent plant that always looks neat. Prefers full sun.
Convolvulus sabatius Moroccan Morning Glory	Mediterr.	Trailing meandering stems with masses of lavender-blue open-cupped flowers during summer.	Can be trained as a climber or to cascade over walls. Roots at nodes Prefers sunny position
Coprosma x kirkii* & C. x kirkii 'Variegata'	Cultivar	Dense mat of small glossy green or variegated leaves.	Long-lived plants for steep banks etc.
Correa alba* & C. reflexa* Native Fuchsia	NSW, SA, Vic, Tas	Dense shrubs with shiny green leaves & white star or tubular bell flowers.	Will grow under trees. Coastal forms of C. reflexa are low & spreading.
Dymondia margaretae* Silver Carpet	Sth. Africa	Tiny narrow green foliage silver underneath. Yellow daisies in summer.	Ideal between paving stones or as a lawn. Takes light foot traffic.
Enchylena tomentosa* Ruby Saltbush	Australia	Grey foliage. Attractive red/orange berries in summer.	Berries are sweet & succulent, leaves high in Vitamin C.
Erigeron karvinskianus Seaside Daisy or Fleabane	Mexico to Panama	Fine-textured groundcover with tiny white to pinkish fine-rayed daisies.	Renewed by hard cutting back in spring. Self-seeds in crevices.
Goodenia amplexans var. amplexans*	Southern Australia	Bright yellow flowers in spring & summer. Clammy serrated leaves.	A useful local groundcover.
Grevillea curviloba (syn. G. biternata)	WA, SA	Light green finely dissected foliage. Masses of fine white flowers.	Will grow in shade but does not flower well.
Grevillea nudiflora	WA	Green mound of linear leaves. Red flowers on trailing leafless stems.	Prefers a sunny position.
Hardenbergia violacea False sarsaparilla	Eastern Australia	Scrambling climber or groundcover with dark purple pea flowers.	White, pink & pale mauve forms also available. Sun or semi-shade.
Helichrysum petiolare	Sth. Africa	A silvery downy foliage plant.	Can be clipped into small hedges.
Jasminum azoricum Azores Jasmine	Canary Islands	Shiny green leaves & sweetly scented white flowers.	Evergreen billowing climber.
Juniperus conferta* J. sabina, J.horizontalis Shore juniper, Savin, Creeping Juniper resp.	Japan, Euro. & Asia, Nth. America	Spreading sculptural groundcover conifers with berry-like fruits.	Long-lived plants for sun or shade requiring little maintenance.
Kunzea pomifera* Muntries	Southern Australia	Trailing prostrate groundcover with dense fluffy white pompoms.	Benefits from light trimming after fruiting. Edible berries.
Lavandula species & cultivars*. L. stoechas & its cultivars should not be planted - escapes with ease	Europe	Soft aromatic shrubs with spikes of white, blue, violet or purple blooms L. angustifolia & L. x allardii perform best on our coast	Need full sun. Most do well with a light shearing after flowering to stop legginess. They resent fertilisers & bushes 'fall apart' if over watered.
Leucophyta brownii* (syn. Calocephalus brownii) Cushion Bush	Southern Australia	Striking silver ball of twiggy stems & minute foliage. 'Nana' form is more compact.	Hard to keep looking attractive so replace every few years as needed. Needs full sun.
Limonium perezii Sea Lavender	Canary Islands	Showy lavender flower clusters top metre-high stems above basal leaves.	Flowers all summer.
Maireana sedifolia & M. brevifolia Bluebush	Inland Australia	Bluish-grey fleshy oval leaves. The whole shrub has a soft hairy look.	Useful foliage plants for erosion control & landscape. Prefer full sun.
Myoporum parvifolium* Creeping Boobialla	Southern Australia	Vigorous spreading groundcover with white starry flowers.	Roots at nodes. The very fine leafed form is the most attractive.
Nepeta x faassenii 'Six Hills Giant' Catmint	Cultivar	Frothy grey foliage & loose spikes of blue-lavender summer flowers.	A good edging plant. Cut back to keep compact. Also 'Walker's Blue'.
Pandorea pandorana Wonga Vine	Eastern Australia	Shiny dark-green leaflets. Clusters of cream to pink tubular flowers.	A fast growing & dense creeper. Useful to cover unsightly objects.
Polygonum capitatum Pink Knotweed	Himalayas	Chevron-marked leaves turn bronze in autumn. Pink button flowers.	A flat quick-growing undemanding groundcover. Roots at nodes.
Rhaphiolepis species Indian Hawthorn	China, Japan, Korea	White to pink flowers in spring to summer. Glossy dark leathery leaves.	Water well to establish.
Rhagodiaspinescens var. deltophylla* Saltbush	South Australia	Dense grey foliage. Var. deltophylla does not have spines	Full sun. A good low maintenance groundcover for sun or shade.
Scaevola calendulacea* & S. aemula* Fan Flower	Australia	Groundcovers with white/blue fan-shaped flowers in spring/summer.	Low shrub forms also available.
Tetragonia tetragonoides* Warrigal Greens	Australia	Bright green fleshy leaves that can be eaten when young.	Plant at 1metre centres to ensure dense cover. Sun or shade.
Thymus species & cultivars Thyme	Mediterr.	Very fragrant herbs with white-pink-purple flowers that attract bees.	Love full sun & lime. Use between stepping stones or as a lawn.
Vinca minor Lesser Periwinkle	Mediterr.	Neat mound of foliage with blue or white open flowers.	Excellent soil binder on embankments. Grows in shade.

Grasses, Bulbs and other Clumping Plants with Vertical /Spiky foliage

Agapanthus praecox var. orientalis	Sth Africa	Blue or white flowers in summer above long green strap leaves.	Sun or part shade.
Carex buchananii New Zealand Sedge	New Zealand	Beautiful reddish-bronze fine leaves.	Well behaved when in part-shade & dryish soil
Cordyline australis Cabbage Tree	New Zealand	Large sprays scented white flowers in summer & tapering green leaves.	Accepts drought & wind. Tree-size trunks that can be cut back.
Dianella revoluta* & D. brevicaulis* Flax lily	Australia, New Zealand	Starry blue flowers followed by luminous blue berries.	Forms colonies of clumps of flax-like foliage.
Dietes iridoides Wild Iris	Sth. Africa	Large white flowers with blue & yellow markings in summer	Flowers from same stems each year.
Ficinianodosa* (syn. Isolepis nodosa) Knobby Club-rush	Australia, New Zealand	Reedy stems arching like a fountain with small rich brown globular flower heads just below the tips.	Successfully binds sand. Immense landscape potential.
Liriope muscari Lily Turf	China, Japan	Grass-like evergreen foliage with spikes of purple bells in autumn.	A useful edging plant.
Lomandra longifolia Spiny-Headed Mat Rush	Eastern Australia	Arching strap leaves green or greyish. Flowers spikes on flat stems.	Variable with many forms. Excellent landscape plant.
Nerine bowdenii Nerine bulbs	Sth Africa	Pink many-flowered globes appear in autumn before foliage.	Bulbs need to bake during summer rest. Leave undisturbed to colonize
Orthrosanthus multiflorus Morning Flag	Vic., SA, WA	Many spikes of blue flowers above clump of strap leaves.	Flowers only last a day but are produced over a long period
Phormium tenax New Zealand Flax	New Zealand	Giant sword-like leaves and towering flower stalks in late spring.	The colourful variegated forms burn badly.
Poa poiformis* & P. sieberiana varieties Tussock Grass	Southern Australia	Small fine blue grass tussocks.	Cut back to rejuvenate tussocks.
Strelitzia reginae Bird of Paradise	Sth. Africa	Greyish banana-like foliage. Royal purple & brilliant orange flowers.	A striking exotic-looking accent plant. Flowers look like crested bird's head.
Tulbaghia violacea* Wild Garlic	Sth Africa	Narrow foliage & pale lilac flower umbels. Smells of garlic.	Sun or shade. Divide bulbs when flowering decreases
Yucca filamentosa* Adam's Needle	USA	Thread-like filaments along leaf edges Spike of white hanging flowers.	Very hardy. Dangerously spiky leaves.
Zephyranthes candida Rain Lily	Argentina	Small reedy evergreen foliage & white crocus-like flowers.	Multiply freely & bloom best when crowded.

Annuals

Eschscholtzia californica - Californian Poppy

Lobularia maritime - Sweet Alyssum

Tropaeolum majus - Nasturtium

Succulent Species
Most succulents are ideal for seaside gardens. They can be used in carefully chosen sites that allow leaves and flowers to stand out complementing other plantings, in large patches of a single species or as potted plants on paved areas. All succulents have the potential to become pest plants in sand dunes.

Aeonium - Canary Is., Nth Africa Cotyledon - Sth Africa Haworthia - Sth Africa Agave (A. attenuata non spiny) - Mexico, Southern USA Crassula (C. ovata - Jade Plant) - Sth Africa Kalanchoe* - Africa, Asia, Sth America Aloe - Mediterr., South Africa Gasteria Lampranthus - Ice Plant - Sth Africa Carpobrotus* - Pig Face - Australia, Chile, Sth Africa Disphyma clavellatum* - Australia

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